Winter: A Tribute to the “Little Dolphin That Could”

Winter, the adult bottlenose dolphin whose unlikely rescue inspired a generation of people worldwide after losing her tail and becoming a two-time film star, passed away on November 11th, 2021. Her passing occurred just sixteen years after she was rescued as a two-month-old calf.

This past week, Winter was being treated for a gastrointestinal infection that required a team of marine mammal experts from around the country to assist with treatment. However, by Thursday evening, Winter passed shortly after experiencing complications from the infection.

A necropsy confirmed she died from an intestinal torsion, a condition in which the intestines twist themselves by cutting off blood flow. This condition is inoperable in cetaceans.

Winter’s Story

Winter, named for the season in which she was found, was rescued in Mosquito Lagoon, Florida in December 2005 after she was caught in a crab trap line near Cape Canaveral. She was just two months old. She was taken to Clearwater Marine Aquarium, where she was treated for her injuries. While she would make a full recovery, her tail would be lost.

She adapted to having no tail by swimming side-to-side like a fish or a shark rather than up and down like a normal dolphin. However, the animal care team at the aquarium knew that her method of swimming would cause her to develop spinal issues, so as a result, they found a solution to help her thrive.

Two years later, she was fitted with a prosthetic tail made just for her. Soon after, as she was growing into adulthood and was fitted with more prosthetic tail flukes, her story would become a comfort to people who also have prosthetic limbs. Winter would become the subject of multiple books, movies, and a game that all chronicled her rescue and recovery.

Her Legacy

The greatest part of Winter’s story is her special connection with people who struggled with disabilities. Never in history has there ever been a dolphin with no tail fluke that’s been successfully rehabilitated. The techniques and materials that made her prosthetics a possibility have since been used to help both people and animals alike.

As Winter’s story spread across the world, from Alaska to New Zealand, people would come from everywhere to Clearwater to see her.

The story of her will to survive brought smiles and tears to all who got to know her, especially those like myself, who also face the challenge of dealing with illnesses or disabilities.

Yet, it’s the many meetings she had with kids and veterans that had such an amazing impact.

She is survived by her four adopted siblings-Brothers Nicholas, and Hemingway, and sisters Pj, and Hope. Nicholas was rescued in 2002, while Hemingway was rescued in 2019. Pj was rescued in 2018 while Hope, who appeared alongside Winter in 2014’s Dolphin Tale 2, was rescued in 2010.

She’s also predeceased by her adopted mother Panama, and an older adopted brother named Indy. Panama was rescued in 2000 and died from age-related health issues in 2013. Indy was rescued in 2004 and died in 2011.

Information on Her Memorial

Clearwater Marine Aquarium plans to hold a memorial for Winter on Saturday, November 20th. In a meanwhile, you can send your photos, messages, and stories about the “Little Dolphin That Could” on a memorial site that was created by the aquarium to celebrate her life.

Instead of flowers, the aquarium has asked fans to donate to their animal rescue and rehabilitation program in Winter’s memory.

If you have your own story of Winter you would like to share for a future article, feel free to email me at [email protected].